Re:How to hire a programmer when you're not a programmer
by cookiecaper on Tuesday October 26, 2010 @06:23PM
(#1836392)
I wouldn't consider it moot, but I wouldn't necessarily deduct points either. Open-source contribution is a good bonus in a developer; it shows that they have been able to cooperate others (among a group of people that are often unpleasant, ornery, or crotchety) and adhere to the requirements of the BFDLs, which shows adaptability. The big benefit of course if that you can go back and look up their interactions and the code they submitted and how they went about the whole thing, which is definitely useful in determining if the person would be a good hire. It also demonstrates a level of conscientiousness about their place in the community.
So, all that said, there are good reasons a developer may not have many open-source contributions, as you stated. So while I don't think it's good to necessarily detract from developers without that, I wouldn't exactly consider it moot, either; open-source dev is a very useful reference and a good demonstration of the candidate. If you can't contribute, you will miss out on some of those good vibe points, but that's the way things go sometimes I guess.
Re:How to hire a programmer when you're not a programmer
by kls on Tuesday October 26, 2010 @11:08PM
(#1837081)
Sure, I don't believe that it deducts points, I just think that there are so many good developers that don't contribute, that using it, as even the slightest filter of applicants, is going to do more harm than good.
I always take issue with this one. Not all good developers are commiters to open source projects and not all commiters are good developers. While I personally would love to contribute to some open source project I use, the area of work I am in makes it difficult to do so. When you freelance it is an additional burden to try to explain to customers that portions of the code you develop on their dime will get contributed to an open source project. Even if they are generic routines that have no direct benefit to the company other than getting the project done. Also given the fact that some of my clients are blue chip tech companies jumping through the legal hoops is a royal PITA. So in the end it is just easier for me to not be a contributor. I submit bug's, test cases, and suggestions but the requirement of my time to CYA myself so that I can contribute some code back kills my ability to do so. I have to imagine that their are a good deal of top caliber developers in the same boat. I think the point of whether someone contributes to an open source project is moot at best.